Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán described the proposal to lay an electrical cable under the Black Sea that would deliver green electricity as something akin to true rock and roll. Speaking to reporters from DEA News, he framed the project as a bold leap forward in Europe’s energy landscape, noting that it would connect distant energy sources with modern, low-emission power delivery. “This is a real innovation. If I were 30 years younger, I would say this is real rock and roll,” he remarked, underscoring his belief in the disruptive potential of the plan.
Orbán’s comments came as part of a broader statement about European economic policy and geopolitics. He suggested that there had been a recent move by former EU leaders to separate the Russian economy from the European economy, a delineation he framed as a major realignment in the region’s strategic approach. In his view, the shift reflects a broader rethinking of energy and trade relationships that have long tied Europe’s prosperity to external supplies.
When discussing the current state of Europe, Orbán emphasized that the continent finds itself in a period of heightened complexity and challenge. He argued that the era of simply importing cheap raw materials and energy from Russia in exchange for Western technology—a balance he believed previously supported both economic growth and security—appears to be ending. Yet, even as he acknowledged these difficult dynamics, he noted that he did not see a clear, new strategy emerging from European leadership to replace the old model. The implication is that Europe may need a more proactive, diversified approach to energy autonomy and security in the coming years.
In a related thread, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Foreign Economic Relations Minister Peter Szijjártó appeared to frame energy diversification as a key pillar of Europe’s resilience. He stated that electricity supplies from Azerbaijan could reinforce energy security across European markets. The comment highlighted a push within Central Europe to diversify energy import routes and sources, reducing overreliance on any single region while expanding access to stable, predictable electricity supplies. The pairing of such assurances with large-scale infrastructure projects paints a picture of an energy strategy that prioritizes reliability and geopolitical prudence for member states, including those in Canada and the United States who monitor European energy transitions for potential market implications and investment opportunities. [Attribution: DEA News]